A subdomain is the prefix you add to your primary domain name, e.g, blog.example.com, along with proprietary technology to serve the best anchoring and styling options.
While your main domain (yourwebsite.com) is a valuable tool when you need to address audiences, execute marketing campaigns, or deliver solutions under the same root domain, your domain name (for example, your business name) is also valuable.
Subdomains make your site more organized and versatile. Here is how they work and how to use them.
A subdomain is a word added before your main domain name, such as shop.example.com. It creates a unique area on your website, something like its little site – excellent for blogs, stores, or support pages without needing to purchase another domain.
Here’s a quick breakdown of a URL:
Subdomain vs. Subdirectory
That is, subdomains come first before the main domain, and subdirectories follow. They are both effective content organization tools, but the former might feel very siloed or separate.
Subdomains work via a DNS subnet system. When you set up a subdomain, you add a DNS entry to instruct the internet where traffic should originate.
For example, support.mysite.com would CNAME to something like Zendesk or Freshdesk.
Hosting Options
With DNS set, hosting begins. You can host a subdomain:
This flexibility is the reason why subdomains are a perfect place for blogs, ecommerce, or websites just made for mobile.
SEO Impact
Using a subdomain will cause search engines to treat it as another website. For example, your blog at blog.example.com will not automatically get authority from your primary domain.
However, whether subdomains are good or bad for your rankings entirely depends on your approach.
They also enable you to create specialized experiences with subdomains, which your leading site can set. Here are the most common use cases:
Use subdomains to send specific content or target distinct groups.
Ideal for product sales and customer portals.
Deliver localized or multilingual experiences.
Perfect for those quick promotions or launches
Isolate experiments or staging environments.
While we see this less frequently these days, it continues to exist.
One of the usual questions is whether to use a subdomain or a subdirectory. Both can organize content, but the choice depends on your goals and setup.
Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Subdomain (blog.example.com) | Subdirectory (example.com/blog) |
| SEO authority | Treated as a separate website | Shares authority with the main site |
| Setup | Requires DNS setup, sometimes separate hosting | Simpler, uses existing settings |
| Flexibility | Great for different audiences, projects, or platforms | Best for grouping related content |
| Analytics | Easier to segment and report separately | Centralized, unified tracking |
| Infrastructure | Can run on a separate CMS or system | Shares the same platform as the main site |
Quick Example
Key Takeaway
Subdomains offer independence and scalability but require more setup. Subdirectories keep things centralized and straightforward. The best option depends on whether you value SEO strength, flexibility, or ease of management.
The power of subdomains comes with trade-offs. Here’s a clear breakdown:
Bottom line: Subdomains are best used when you require separation, scalability, or isolation. Subdirectories are the better choice for related content or streamlined SEO purposes.
Do subdomains hurt SEO? The short answer: not always. But it all depends on how you use them.
Each subdomain is unique because Google treats each of them as a separate website. This means blog.example.com will not be used to share rankings or domain authority with example.com.
They work great for narrow audiences, niches, or platforms. For example:
A separation can enhance the crawlability, clarity, and keyword targeting in these cases.
The problem arises when the content is too close to that of your leading site. Dividing it out to subdomains might dilute authority rather than reinforcing it.
Hosting your blog on, for instance, blog.example.com instead of example.com/blog can limit SEO gains. The other significant risk is duplicate content, which can also happen between domains and subdomains.
Key Takeaway: Subdomains do not always damage SEO; instead, they should be used strategically, considering your objectives.
Setting up a subdomain is simpler than it looks. Here’s a straightforward guide you can follow:
Pick a name that reflects its purpose. Examples:
Log in to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap) or hosting dashboard (e.g., cPanel, Shopify).
The section in which you can manage DNS in cPanel (often “Domains” or “Zone Editor” in cPanel; “Domains” in Shopify).
To add site content, install a CMS, or connect to an external service. You can run subdomains separately from your website (for example, having WordPress on the root and Shopify on the subdomain).
Turn on SSL to get a https: in front of your subdomain. Practically all hosting providers – including Let’s Encrypt – offer free certificates.
Ensure functionality, SEO tracking, analytics, and ensure your website is mobile responsive before going live.
It is a perfectly legible subdomain that would help usability, SEO, and brand trust. Here are some tried and tested refactoring techniques:
Use a short title like “blog,” “shop,” or “support.” Visitors and search engines must understand why they are here.
Always stick to lowercase. Use hyphens to separate words:
Skip symbols, underscores, or cluttered labels (e.g., x9q-trial123.mysite.com). Clean, simple names are easier to type and build trust.
For multiple subdomains, use a clear pattern:
For example, the words store, news, and careers can show strong intent, but do not overdo it. Clarity should always come first.
Bottom line: A strong subdomain name leads to better readability, better SEO, and a greater sense of trust with users.
Subdomains help top organizations to organize and structure their content, add a personal touch to the user experience (UX), and create specialist platforms. Here’s how:
Purpose: HubSpot’s blog, published on a subdomain, discusses inbound marketing and sales tactics.
Why it works: Creating a separate blog helps prevent content from getting lost on product pages, further aiding in SEO and discovery while avoiding the main site.
Purpose: PlayStation runs its official store on a dedicated subdomain.
Why it works: E-commerce requires payment, inventory systems, and logins. Security performance, independent infrastructure, and stored in a separate subdomain
Purpose: Yahoo tailors content for UK users, including news, weather, and ads.
Why it works: Subdomains make localization, experiences, legal compliance, and running region-specific ad campaigns easy.
Purpose: Sky hosts its live news coverage on a separate subdomain.
Why it works: News publishing requires fast CMS tools and constant updates. Since it is a subdomain, it does not slow down the speed of other services that the news team uses to publish quickly.
Purpose: Spotify’s forums live on a community subdomain.
Why it works: Moderation and member tools on the forum software side ensure that the main streaming site with performance problems is not removed.
Purpose: Pura Vida handles returns and shipping through a dedicated subdomain.
Why it works: To separate with returns, on the other hand, keeps the transactions clean and leaves all clutter away from the actual shopping experience.
Key takeaway: Subdomains help brands to separate various things (like content, e-commerce, support, or communities) without disrupting the clean and tidy look of the primary domain.
Subdomains are great, but not for all WordPress use cases. It is logically best to keep them within the same primary domain.
Use a subdirectory – use this case if you own a blog, service overview, or just a few static pages. It is easier to use example.com/blog than blog.example.com.
Search engines see subdomains as unique websites. If building a domain and ranking strength is your top focus, go for subdirectories to combine SEO efforts.
Subdomains require their own:
However, if you do not have the bandwidth or team to manage them, they can be a liability rather than an asset.
Key takeaway: Not all subdomains were created equal. It should be used, if at all, because it is relevant and serves a technical SEO or UX purpose. Occasionally, the simplest can be the best and brightest.
Subdomains help manage your content, target/segment the audience, and assist a website in scaling better. But they really are intent on whether it is blogs, stores, local sites, or one-off projects. They’re not always necessary.
Ask yourself before uploading: Is this interesting enough to deserve a space for itself? Is it aimed at a separate audience or goal? Would I be able to hold out on my rent for this long even if I am entirely alone? If so, a decent subdomain can do wonders for organization, SEO, and the user experience.
Properly utilized, your subdomains will grow your site and business over time, making them more sustainable and manageable.
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